We all heard a very sad story last week about a local Los Angeles fireman, Mike Herdman, who ran off after his dog over 9 days ago. The only good news so far was that the dog he took off after was finally found in a parking lot 10 to 15 miles from where they went on their hike.

So far injured in the rescue operation, 5 people, one who was bitten by a rattlesnake and had to be airlifted to a hospital where he remains in intensive care. Right now searchers and loved ones are just holding onto hope for his safe return.

Would you think twice about tearing off after your dog out in the wilderness?

Here’s a little more about his whole ordeal and how it went down:

In a rush to find his dog, Herdman left behind his supplies and his shoes, Byars said. It took Byars two days to hike out of the remote terrain and contact police to start the rescue mission. For nearly a week, search crews using drones, infrared cameras and even harmonicas have been traversing the Los Padres National Forest in search of Herdman.

However after finding Duke, Dean said that only a skeleton crew would continue to search for Herdman after a week of covering the terrain. The park is twice the size of the Grand Canyon and searchers described the area as “some of the roughest terrain we have in the state.”

Family and friends of Herdman said they are hoping his outdoor experience and training will help him stay safe until searchers arrive. “We are all expecting to see Mike come over the hill behind us and be surprised to see us all here,” Herdman’s friend Michael Macgregor told reporters earlier this week. “I have no doubt that he can survive out there for weeks.”